


Look Me Right In The Eyes, I Promise Everything Will Be Alright

by WhoIsWren



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Derek Leaves Beacon Hills, Derek Uses His Words, Goodbyes, M/M, Stiles Has Nightmares, Stiles Has Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 16:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7394554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoIsWren/pseuds/WhoIsWren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek couldn't leave without saying goodbye to the most important person to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Look Me Right In The Eyes, I Promise Everything Will Be Alright

**Author's Note:**

> Camp Nano - Day 4  
> Just a scene I always wished would happen with Sterek. Head Canon = it totally happened.  
> Set after Season 4 finale. 
> 
> Title: Crossroads - I Prevail.

Derek was actually leaving. He’s really gone. Just hopped into his car with Braeden  and left without so much as a goodbye. Stiles really shouldn’t be that surprised; Derek’s never been a talker, especially about emotional things, and saying goodbye to a bunch of kids he’s spent the last few years getting to know is more emotion than Derek might be ready to deal with.

Stiles has spent the last 20 minutes sitting on his bed staring at his window, hoping it would open to reveal the only person who prefers to use windows over doors, but it remained shut. Derek was probably half way across the country by now and as much as he wanted to be angry at the guy he couldn’t. He understood why Derek left he just wished it didn’t make him feel so utterly lonely.

Derek had understood him better than anyone, even Scott who’s known him since second grade. Ever since becoming a werewolf Scott has really been lacking on best friend duties and while Stiles would never consider Derek his best friend the wolf has become important to him.

Maybe that’s why it hurts so much because Derek has become irreplaceable to him. Who will he go to when he’s plagued by nightmares? Who will talk him down from a panic attack when the memories of what he did overwhelm him? What will he do now that he only person he could ever truly be himself around is gone?  

He had almost worked himself into a panic attack when a soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. His dad probably wanted to let him know he was home.

“Yeah” he said distractedly still focused on his window. He couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the closed window.  

“I came to say goodbye”

Stiles breath hitched as his heart began to beat like crazy. That wasn’t his dad voice; it was softer, of a higher pitch. A voice he wished he could have heard one more time but knew it couldn’t belong to who he wanted it to. Very slowly he turned his head towards his now open door.

There stood Derek Hale bathed in the light from the hallway, looking just as beautiful as he always does. This couldn’t really be happening; there is no way Derek is actually standing in his bedroom right now. Stiles tried to discreetly count his fingers, hoping to confirm his suspicions that he was dreaming.

“You’re not dreaming Stiles” Derek said amusedly. A tone not many people got to hear from Derek but a tone that Stiles treasured. Sure enough he had the right amount of fingers. So Derek really was standing in his bedroom not driving across the country with Braeden.

“You used the door” was the only thing Stiles could think to say. There were a thousand questions running through his mind but this seemed to be the most important concern at the moment.

Stiles knew that Derek had been getting better the past 6 months. The man had been going to therapy after Stiles told him it would be a good idea. Derek had begun to work through the problems he’d had since he was 16 years old, he worked though his family’s death and the part he played in it. He may not ever fully believe that the fire wasn’t his fault but he felt a lot less guilty about it now. Despite knowing that Derek was getting better seeing a genuine smile from the man would always make Stiles hold his breath and commit the image to memory.

Derek seemed to be studying his face just as much as Stiles was studying his, but the smile never left his face. It took a moment for what Derek actually said to register; he can’t be blamed for being a little slow when faced with a smiling Derek Hale.

“Oh” Stiles face fell, eyes lowering so he no longer had to look at Derek, “You’re still leaving”.

The wolf moved so soundlessly that Stiles didn’t even notice Derek move until the bed dipped beside him as Derek sat down. It didn’t surprise him, Derek had always been a silent mover and Stiles had just learnt to sense the man’s presence. He was always hyperaware of Derek whenever they were together.

“I have to Stiles. We both know Beacon Hills isn’t good for me. But I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to you” Derek never spoke with irritation or threats anymore, he always sounded small but sure of himself. It was a good sign towards therapy working, and probably to how much leaving Beacon Hills would be good for Derek. That didn’t mean Stiles had to like it though.

Stiles had been nodding along to what Derek was saying, eyes still not looking at Derek, until Derek slid his hand into one of Stiles and squeezed. _He was holding hands with Derek Hale_. Now the only thing Stiles could look at was the different skin tones between his hand and Derek’s.

“Stiles I need you to look at me for this part” Derek pleaded, ducking his head in an attempt to meet Stiles eyes; which proved to be a futile attempt.

“You can’t just hold my hand then expect me to look anything else!” Stiles yelled in a whisper. He ran this thumb against the soft skin of Derek’s hand and finally managed to lift his eyes to Derek’s after hearing the man sigh heavily.

Derek has always had this intense look about him but that was nothing compared to the intensity in his face now. His eyes were locked on Stiles golden ones, his lips thinned and jaw clenched. Despite the harsh look upon his face the hand holding Stiles’ remained soft.

“I, I need to tell you something and I need you to listen because it’s the only time I’ll say it. And it doesn’t change anything, I still need to leave, but you have to hear this first.”

Derek was babbling, Stiles smiled softly at how much he rubbed off on Derek.

“I trust you”

Stiles eyes widen, _what the fuck?!,_ jaw slackening, _no seriously WHAT._ Did Derek just...?

Never in a million years did Stiles ever expect to hear those words fall from Derek Hale’s lips.

 _Holy shit that was practically a love confession from the guy!_  

It’s not like he didn’t instinctively know this already, but hearing the words sort of short circuited Stiles brain.

Between the words, the hand holding and the...oh god Derek just kissed his forehead. Stiles eyelashes fluttered, his heart felt simultaneously heavier that a tonne of bricks and lighter than a feather.

“Derek...” he whispered.  He now found he couldn’t stop looking at Derek’s eyes, seeing the sincerity and love there was like a trap he didn’t want to escape.

He desperately wanted Derek to stay, wanted Derek to keep touching him, keep kissing him and keep looking at him like he was the most important person in the world. Derek made him feel alive; he didn’t want to give that up. He also knew he could never be that selfish when it came to the older man. Derek needed this, so Stiles will let him go no matter how much it hurts.

“I know. It’s okay. Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean I’ll disappear. I’ll be calling you a couple times a week and you can teach me how to Skype”

Stiles didn’t realise he was crying until his laugh turned out more like a sob because he was in love with a dork, a dork that was leaving. Through his teary eyes he could see Derek smiling again, a small somewhat sad smile this time. Then if tonight couldn’t get any stranger Derek pulled him closer and hugged him.

He wanted to cling to the older man forever – inhale his woodsy scent, bask in the warmth radiating from him – he felt so safe within his arms, but he knew Derek had already stayed longer than he wanted. So Stiles pulled away from the embrace far sooner than he would have liked and took courage from the fact that Derek kept looking between his eyes and his lips to lean forward and kiss Derek properly. It was just a soft sweet kiss, bittersweet at that, a goodbye kiss, a promise.

When Derek finally left his bedroom, using the door again, it didn’t feel as painful as Stiles thought it would. Instead of despair he was filled with something akin to hope. Derek would be fine and Stiles would still have his support system.

It would all be okay...

As soon as he taught Derek how to use Skype.

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out [Tumblr](http://nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com/)


End file.
